


Office Poltics

by N3m3sis42, TheUnforgivables



Series: Damen & Laurent are parents!AU [1]
Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Idiots in Love, M/M, and are very happily married, damen is a politician, heavy mentions of csa in later chapters, idiots parenting, in which laurent and the regent are not related by blood, jord referring to him as "reg" amused us, laurent is a web dev, laurent is the bb's favorite and damen can't stand it, reginal brinkley is the regent, the office politics!AU no one asked for, the parent!AU no one asked for, there are flashbacks and panic attacks on laurent's part, they have a child together, we are not all that nice to him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:15:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22537633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/N3m3sis42/pseuds/N3m3sis42, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnforgivables/pseuds/TheUnforgivables
Summary: “Let me hold her a moment.”Damen shook his head, patting their tiny daughter’s back in a futile attempt to soothe her. “She’ll spit up on you. It’s your first day, sweetheart, and you’re running a little late already. I’ve got this, I promise.” The baby belched, the sound loud and suspiciously wet. Damen grimaced and dabbed at his shoulder with a cloth. “See? That would’ve been your shirt if you’d been --”"She won’t spit up on me now,” Laurent cut in sharply, leaning in to scoop the baby out of Damen’s arms. “Will you, Angel?” he murmured in a softer tone as he bounced her gently.Angel calmed in an instant, cooing delightedly at Laurent, and Damen let out a sigh. Their daughter clearly had a favorite and it wasn’t him. Laurent looked up, arching a golden eyebrow."You know she’ll only be even more upset when you give her back to me, right?” Damen said.“It’s just that she misses me,” Laurent said, returning his attention to the baby before Damen could respond. “Isn’t that right, princess? Be nice to Daddy while I’m gone today, will you?”In which Damen and Laurent are parents, Laurent starts a new job, and he runs into an old enemy...
Relationships: Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Series: Damen & Laurent are parents!AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621624
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64
Collections: Captive Prince Reverse Bang 2019





	1. We'll Be Fine

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Welcome to n3m3sis42's and my's super late contribution to the 2019 Big Bang. Our artist's work can be found here: https://jesibeans.tumblr.com/post/190005118763/kyrie-eleison-2020-10x20-ish-mixed-media-on. They're absolutely fantastic <3
> 
> There will be more of this! But my partner and I ran into some struggles with Life and we are posting it a piece at a time as we get it all nice and pretty. :) We will update as frequently as we are able, this AU got away from us. Like... a ridiculous amount.

“She’s not hungry.” 

The cool pronouncement floated in from the hall, somehow effortlessly audible over the baby’s increasingly urgent screams. Damen blinked, setting the nearly-full bottle down and shifting her into an upright position. He glanced upward to find Laurent leaning against the nursery’s open doorway, pale hair slicked down and button-down shirt as crisp as his words had been.

His gaze settled on the wriggling bundle in Damen’s arms and his lips quirked into a smile. Damen couldn’t help but smile as well; apart from the faint shadows beneath his blue eyes, his husband showed no sign that he hadn’t slept more than an hour or two at one stretch in weeks.

He strode into the room, straightening already perfect sleeves. “Let me hold her a moment.” 

Damen shook his head, patting their tiny daughter’s back in a futile attempt to soothe her. “She’ll spit up on you. It’s your first day, sweetheart, and you’re running a little late already. I’ve got this, I promise.” The baby belched, the sound loud and suspiciously wet. Damen grimaced and dabbed at his shoulder with a cloth. “See? That would’ve been your shirt if you’d been --”

“She won’t spit up on me now,” Laurent cut in sharply, leaning in to scoop the baby out of Damen’s arms. “Will you, Angel?” he murmured in a softer tone as he bounced her gently. 

Angel calmed in an instant, cooing delightedly at Laurent, and Damen let out a sigh. Their daughter clearly had a favorite and it wasn’t him. Laurent looked up, arching a golden eyebrow. 

“You know she’ll only be even more upset when you give her back to me, right?” Damen said.

“It’s just that she misses me,” Laurent said, returning his attention to the baby before Damen could respond. “Isn’t that right, princess? Be nice to Daddy while I’m gone today, will you?”

The little girl giggled, her mouth opening in a wide, toothless grin. Damen sighed again. 

She was going to be inconsolable when Laurent finally left. Resigning himself to his fate with a soft chuckle, Damen pushed himself up from the oaken rocker where he sat. The chair was solid but only just barely wide enough to accommodate Damen’s bulk; it took a concerted effort to free himself from it. He caught Laurent smirking in his direction once he was through.

“Something funny?” Damen half-growled, wrapping an arm around Laurent’s slim waist. 

“Nothing at all,” Laurent replied blithely, resuming his conversation with the baby.

Damen snorted. “Of course not.” 

He made his way downstairs to put coffee on. Laurent joined him a few minutes later, eyeing the steaming mug Damen held with obvious envy. The baby gurgled cheerfully in his arms.

“Yours is over there.” Damen gestured toward the counter. A travel mug sat atop it, along with the lunch he’d packed the night before. Laurent offered him a small smile, eyes wide and dark.

“Are you nervous?” Damen asked.

“A little,” Laurent admitted.

“You’re going to do an amazing job.” Damen wrapped his arms around Laurent, taking great care not to wrinkle his clothes. Laurent pressed himself closer; he felt so warm and solid. 

He stood on tiptoe to kiss Damen softly on the lips, one mischievous hand creeping downward. It slid inside Damen’s waistband; Damen shivered ever so slightly. Despite the fatigue that tugged at his limbs like a ballast, he felt a familiar spark beginning to kindle within him. If it weren’t for Angel, he’d whisk Laurent up to their room right now and -- 

As if on cue, the baby reached up and grabbed a fistful of Damen’s curls. He cried out in surprise and pain and she giggled. With an apologetic look, Laurent freed him from her grasp.

“Don’t forget to message me and let me know how it’s going.” Damen leaned down, kissing the top of his husband’s head and taking the baby from him. “Angel, say goodbye to Papa.”

The little girl’s face crumpled. She began to wail, twisting her tiny body in Damen’s arms and reaching out for Laurent. A rueful smile curved Damen’s lips and he saw Laurent wince. 

“We’ll be fine,” Damen reassured him. “I promise.”

He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.


	2. Team Lead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Regent, also known as Reginald Brinkley in this fic (and referred to by Laurent as just "Brinkley"), is just very gross and guys we hate him. We hate him so much. Jord, also known as Jordan Larkin in this fic, is a ray of sunshine I wasn't expecting. He already deeply respects Laurent and his work (as he should). 
> 
> Trigger warnings for flashbacks to CSA. They're not... entirely explicit, but the implications are v heavy. (Thank you, n3m3sis42! for your brilliant writing of all things gross <3 ilu)

The new office building was like many others in the city, an imposing spire composed of steel and glass. Laurent stood in its shadow, drawing in deep lungfuls of the cool autumn air. He wished he had even a fraction of Damen’s charisma -- or failing that, his confidence. Laurent felt his lips curve in a wry smile as he thought of how Damen had all but pushed him out the door.

_We’ll be fine, I promise, and so will you._

Laurent sighed, checking his reflection in one of the building’s many windows. He supposed he was going to have to do this sooner rather than later. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped inside.

An attendant greeted him, handing him a badge with his name and title printed on it. 

_Team Lead_ , the neat black letters all but screamed. What in the world had he been thinking? 

A cheerful ding broke into his thoughts and the elevator doors slid open, revealing his new boss. Jordan Larkin was only a few years older than Laurent himself, and nearly as relentlessly optimistic as Damen. Despite this glaringly obvious character flaw, Laurent quite liked him.

“It’s so good to see you again, Laurent!” Larkin offered his hand, beaming, and Laurent did his best to arrange his own features in a smile that looked at least somewhat genuine. 

“Thank you, Mr. Larkin.” Laurent accepted the handshake, managing to surreptitiously wipe his sweat-slicked palm on his pants first. “It’s good to see you again as well.”

“Please,” Larkin admonished with a wave of his hand. “Call me Jord.” He pressed a button to summon the elevator again. “We’re so excited to have you join us today.”

“And I’m excited to be joining the team.” Laurent followed Larkin -- Jord, Laurent reminded himself -- into the elevator. “I read through the project docs you sent me, and I can’t wait to get started,” he said, feeling the ice at the pit of his stomach thaw somewhat as he turned over the details of the documentation in his mind. “It’s really impressive, you know, the amount of functionality the team’s been able to build into the existing system.” 

The compliment earned him one of Jord’s patented smiles. 

“I only hope I’ll be able to do it justice and make the new system even better,” Laurent said.

“I’m positive you will.” Jord somehow managed to smile even more widely. “Your work samples and personal projects are outstanding and you’re obviously also quite motivated. I have absolutely no doubt that you’re going to be an amazing addition to this project.”

Warmth crept into Laurent’s cheeks, and he offered a hesitant nod. “Thank you, Mr. --” He caught himself, clearing his throat and blushing a little more deeply. “Thank you, Jord.”

He heard the other man chuckle as the elevator dinged, its doors opening onto a bright hallway.

Jord led him down it, guiding him through a maze of cubicles. “You’ll be sitting here,” he said, coming to a stop and gesturing toward a desk. He flashed his trademark grin again. “Would you prefer to get your workstation set up first, or would you like to go ahead and meet the team?”

Laurent felt as though he’d been doused in cold water. He’d never exactly been known for his social graces, and he asked himself for the millionth time if he was really cut out to be a lead.

There was only one way to find out, he supposed. 

“I’d love to meet everyone,” he heard himself say.

He forced his body to relax and pasted a smile on his face that was sunny enough to rival even Jord’s. Jord led him around to each team member’s desk. Laurent shook hands and smiled. He shared ‘fun facts’ and did his best to commit every name and face to memory.

“There’ll be a quiz later,” Jord joked when it was finally over.

Laurent let out a nervous laugh. “Should I set up my desk now?”

“Not just yet,” Jord said with a slight shake of his head. “There’s one more person I’d like you to meet.” He gestured for Laurent to follow, guiding him to a desk several rows over. “Laurent, this is Doctor Reginald Brinkley and he’ll be your onboarding mentor. Reg, this is Laurent.”

“We’ve met before, actually,” a familiar voice boomed.

Laurent looked up, meeting the eyes of its owner, and his insides turned to ice. 

He opened his mouth and closed it again. “I -- We have.” He swallowed hard, his heart banging against his ribs. He pushed the words out, speaking evenly. Calmly. “Hello again, Reginald.”

Brinkley offered his hand and Laurent shook it, willing his own hand not to tremble. 

A guileless smile spread across Brinkley’s lips. “Hello, Laurent. I’ve wondered about you often since your time in the Program. It’s good to see you’ve maintained your interest in coding.”

“The Program was a great inspiration for me,” Laurent said over the roaring in his ears.

“I’m pleased to hear that.” Brinkley’s smile grew wider, showing every one of his teeth. His eyes glinting like sharpened knives. “I hope you’re as quick a study as you were back then.”

Laurent felt his own smile freeze in place. He offered Brinkley a curt nod and turned to Jord. “Have I met everyone now?” he asked, keeping his tone light. “I’m… anxious to start setting up.”

“Yes, I do believe that’s everyone!” If Jord had noticed the tension in the air, he didn’t let on. “If there’s anyone we’ve missed, I’m sure they’ll let us know.” He nodded at Brinkley and led Laurent back to his desk. “Feel free to reach out to me or Reg if you have any questions.” 

“I will,” Laurent assured him, already sorting through an assortment of cables and cords.

“Reg will be by later to make sure you’ve got everything you need.”

The mention of Reginald Brinkley’s name sent a shiver through Laurent. He repressed it, thanking Jord and waiting until he was out of sight before letting his composure slip. Laurent sank into his chair, putting his head in his hands. The air around him felt heavy, the ambient noise of the office drowned out by the pounding of his own pulse. He forced himself to breathe.

Brinkley.

 _That_ Brinkley.

Reginald Fucking Brinkley.

 _Reg._ He heard himself choke out the name, high-pitched and hesitant. _Reg, I don’t --_

_Of course you do._

That voice, the one Laurent had never truly managed to stop hearing, even after all these years. 

_I see the way you watch me during class._

His breath caught in his throat. He felt those hands again -- those huge, unwelcome hands. One came up suddenly to grip his chin. Forcing it upward, forcing him to meet eyes darkened with desire. Distracting him as fingers crept inside his waistband, pushing their way into -- 

“You know, when Jord announced our newest team member, I thought it would be someone else.” Brinkley’s words were velvety, soft as his touch had been. “A different Laurent.”

It was a supreme effort to meet the older man’s eyes, but Laurent managed it.

Brinkley stood uncomfortably close, lips stretched into a mirthless smile. “You’ve really grown. I think you’re as tall as I am now.” He scanned Laurent’s desk, his gaze skimming over the personal items he’d set out so far -- a rubber duck in a devil costume, a sand art bottle that Damen had bought him two summers ago at the beach, and of course a framed photo of -- 

“You’ve got a family, I see.” Brinkley reached for the frame. 

It took every ounce of Laurent’s self-restraint not to slap it out of his manicured, oversized hand. 

Laurent gripped the arms of his rolling chair as Brinkley scrutinized the photograph. It was one Damen hadn’t known he’d taken -- father and daughter asleep in the rocking chair, Angel curled up in Damen’s arms, Damen’s head dipped forward and nose all but buried in her blonde curls.

“Son or daughter?” 

The question drifted to Laurent’s ears as if from far away. He blinked. 

“Daughter,” he heard himself answer.

He felt his own lips curve into a smirk. At least he could thank the universe for one small favor. Brinkley had always reserved his “special attention” for the male pupils in the Program. 

Brinkley set the photo down, exactly where he’d found it. 

_Concealing the evidence_ , Laurent thought, and repressed a shudder.

“She certainly has your coloring.” Brinkley said in a different voice.

The chill inside him deepening, Laurent felt his teeth grind together. “Pity she’s not your type.”

Brinkley’s brows rose a fraction, eyes widening. He regarded Laurent for a long moment before his expression smoothed out, becoming less affronted. “She’s a little young for me, yes.”

His tone was light, as though he didn’t see the irony in his own words. Laurent felt his stomach clench, his eyes narrowing involuntarily. He swallowed back bile, willing his hands to stay still at his sides. An unspoken threat echoed in his ears: _Touch her and you’re a dead man, Reg._

“Please, don’t look at me like that,” Brinkley said, his tone even. He gave a slight shake of his head, as if he couldn’t fathom what had gotten into Laurent. “I’d never put my hands on a _child_.” 

Laurent only blinked. 

Once more he could feel the unbidden heat of those hands, etched into his skin like an acid imprint. The possessive way they had grasped his thirteen-year-old hips, guiding them upward.

Had he not been a child then?

“I’ll leave you to it,” Brinkley said, breaking into Laurent’s thoughts. His tone was breezy, his smile almost conciliatory. “It’ll be such a pleasure to work with you again.” 

Laurent watched him walk away. Only once the older man was out of sight did Laurent allow his composure to slip. He slumped in his seat, eyes slipping closed. It felt as though a fist had closed around his lungs; he fought to take in air, to slow the pace of his rampaging heart. 

His phone chirped in his pocket, startling him so badly he almost screamed. With a shaking hand he pulled it out, nearly dropping it in the process. He silenced it and set it aside, gripping his knees so tightly his knuckles turned white and willing himself to at least panic _quietly_.

It was a while before he felt calm enough to see to his messages. He reached for his phone, checking his notifications. His eyes stung at the sight of Damen’s name at the top of the list.

> _Hey sweetheart <3 I hope you’re having a great first day! I don’t know if you’d be able to talk much but Angel and I miss you   
> [image.jpg]   
> See? <3  
> We wanted to tell you you’re amazing and they’re gonna love you there <3   
> [9:24am]_

Tears blurred the words and Laurent swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. He stared down at the picture of Damen, a sleepy Angel in his arms and contented -- if exhausted -- smiles on both their faces. Blinking away another spate of tears, Laurent tapped out a response.

> _Really fucking busy right now but I miss you too, cutie  
>  [10:32am]_

Huffing out a soft sigh, Laurent slipped his phone back in his pocket. It vibrated seconds later. As much as he longed to reach for it, for the comfort of Damen’s response, Laurent didn’t dare.

He needed to hold it together. 

Returning his attention to his desk, he noticed for the first time that his new teammates had printed out memes and strewn them across its surface. He read through them all, smiling ever so slightly at some of the funnier ones. When he’d finished, he felt a bit calmer.

He resumed setting up his space after that. It took him the better part of an hour. He kept losing focus, catching himself staring blankly off into the distance, his hands moving as if disembodied. Shifting the items on his desk from one spot to another in search of the perfect placement.

His phone vibrated again. He’d felt it buzz urgently in his pocket a few times since he’d put it away; Damen was probably worried. With a sigh, Laurent made his way to the bathroom.

He locked himself in a stall, pulling up the first message with fumbling fingers.

> _:( is everything okay?  
>  [10:32am]_

Laurent hesitated. It would be easiest to type back a simple _Yes, I’m just busy_. He’d rather eat glass than discuss this right now, but his husband had always had an uncanny knack for seeing through him. Likely as not, Damen would realize he was hiding something.

He tapped his thumbs slowly over the screen, surveyed his work for a moment, and hit send.

> _Brinkley fucking works here  
>  [10:54am]_

Three dots appeared on the screen, lingering for a maddeningly long interval. Laurent held his breath, not realizing he was doing so until he let it out in a rush when a response finally came.

> _Are you fucking serious?  
>  *That* Brinkley? (Cursing emoji)  
> Oh, sweetheart, please tell me you don’t have to work with him and he just happens to work in the same place, please.   
> *hugs*  
> I love you. You can call if you need to, okay? I promise.  
> [10:56am]_

A fresh wave of tears came. Laurent swallowed them back, setting his phone down on top of the toilet paper holder. He choked back a sob, his chest aching with the effort. 

_It’ll be such a pleasure to work with you again,_ he heard Brinkley croon.

Laurent covered his face with his hands and let the tears flow unabated.


End file.
